


A Flame Within the Dark

by rubylily



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Sister-Sister Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-10-31
Packaged: 2019-08-03 09:18:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16323482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubylily/pseuds/rubylily
Summary: Lianna still has nightmares, but Ophilia is always by her side when she wakes.





	A Flame Within the Dark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [youjik33](https://archiveofourown.org/users/youjik33/gifts).



These days Lianna often suffered nightmares, and each time was the same. While she slept, a dark flame consumed her, one of grief and malice, and beyond that fire a door of darkness opened, revealing a cruel god who screamed and beckoned toward her. She tried to run, even as she burned, but someone, sometimes Mattias with his fake smile or sometimes a woman with dark hair and red eyes, pushed her into the gates of hell, and she fell through the darkness for a very long time, and no light could reach her.

"Phili… Save me, please…!"

Lianna felt a gentle hand on her hair and she jolted, but when she opened her eyes, she found herself in her own bed, in Flamesgrace, and Ophilia stood beside her, and as usual Ophilia's expression was full of worry, and Lianna's chest tightened. She had lost count of how many times she had woken Ophilia with her screaming and thrashing.

"Lianna?" Ophilia said, her voice no more than a whisper. "Are you all right?"

"It's fine," Lianna muttered as she sat up and clasped Ophilia's hand between hers. "Just a nightmare."

"Another one?" Ophilia's fingers tensed, but they were as warm as Lianna remembered. "But you're safe now, I promise."

Lianna said nothing as she rested her head against Ophilia's shoulder. Each night was the same - she would wake from a nightmare and Ophilia would try to comfort her. Their father was still gone, but she knew she could trust Ophilia's words. She had suffered nightmares in Whispermill too, while she had helped Eliza find the last remnants of Galdera's cult, but since she and Ophilia had returned to Flamesgrace, she didn't fear the nightmares as much, if only because she knew Ophilia would be there beside her when she woke. She only had to believe in Ophilia and the Sacred Flame, she told herself. She had to believe in Ophilia's unshakable faith.

"Ophilia," she said carefully as she lifted her head, willing herself to meet her sister's gentle gaze. "Can we visit the Sacred Flame?"

"At this hour?" Yet Ophilia's smile was gentle. "Yes, of course."

They stood and carefully donned their cleric robes, quietly so not to disturb the other resting clerics, and once dressed Ophilia took Lianna's hand into hers, much as Lianna had done when they had been children. So much had changed, too much too soon, but Ophilia's warmth was a welcomed constant. "Thank you, Phili," Lianna whispered softly. She had lost count of how many times she had spoken those words, but each day she truly was grateful Ophilia had saved her.

Silently they left their bedchambers, and Lianna kept close to Ophilia as Ophilia's fingers were tight around hers. Since finishing the Kindling, Ophilia seemed warmer and brighter, nothing like the sullen, despairing child she had been when their father had first taken her into his care. These lands could be so cruel, full of violence and loss and deceit, but Ophilia could still smile. Maybe Lianna had never understood the full depths of Ophilia's despair, but she had reached out with a true hand, and then, in her darkest hour, Ophilia had done the same to reach out and save her.

She closed her eyes, blinking away tears. If Ophilia could forgive her, then maybe she could begin anew. Even if Flamesgrace never forgave her, even if Aelfric himself never forgave her, as long as she had Ophilia…!

Soon they came to the main hall, where the Sacred Flame of Aelfric always burned, the heavenly flame that protected humanity from the absolute darkness of the fallen god. It burned differently than it had during Lianna's childhood, as their father had completed his own Kindling shortly before Lianna had been born, and while his flame had been bright and passionate but almost a little frightening, Ophilia's flame… "It feels gentle," Lianna found herself saying. "And peaceful too."

"The bishop in Saintsbridge told me that the Sacred Flame may reflect the heart of the Flamebearer," Ophilia said, a faint smile on her lips. "Our father's was passionate and full of vigor."

Lianna let out a quiet chuckle; laughing came more naturally to her again these days. "That sounds like him all right. But yours is gentler, calmer, and… after everything that's happened, I think that's what we need most of all."

Ophilia's expression grew grave. "So many are still recovering, but… time can heal most wounds. We must keep faith." She turned her eyes from the Sacred Flame to meet Lianna's gaze. "One of my companions has a saying: 'Faith shall be your shield.' Those words were a gift from her own father."

"A shield…" Lianna repeated. If her faith had been stronger, could she have protected herself from Mattias' lies? Could she have stopped herself from hurting Ophilia and nearly corrupting Aelfric's holy flame? If she had kept her faith, would their father…?

No. She couldn't think like that anymore. She had failed once, but never again would she allow her faith to waver. Ophilia had forgiven her, so she couldn't fear the future.

"Yes, a shield," Ophilia said as she sat on a pew. "Have faith in your companions and your beliefs, and yourself, and you will fear nothing."

"I think I understand," Lianna said as she sat beside Ophilia. "You found a lot of companions on your journey too, didn't you?"

"I did," Ophilia said, and her smile grew warm, much like the First Flame itself. She told Lianna of the many places she had traveled and of the people she had traveled with, such as a dancer and a merchant, a knight and a hunter, a scholar and an apothecary, and a quiet drifter (which Lianna suspected was an euphemism for "thief," but otherwise said nothing), and how Ophilia had helped them in their quests and how they had helped in hers.

If their father had been well, maybe Lianna and Ophilia could've performed the Kindling together. She had been scared to take the pilgrimage alone, but maybe she could've asked Ophilia to accompany her. They could've began a new tradition. If things had been different…

Eventually Lianna found herself resting her head in Ophilia's lap, and Ophilia gently stroked her hair to soothe her. Before them the Sacred Flame burned, pure and bright, nothing like the corrupted flame Lianna had almost created out of Ophilia's ember. Ophilia had saved her, and thus the Flame now burned with Ophilia's kind strength.

"Ophilia," Lianna said, "thank you for everything."

"We are sisters and dear friends," Ophilia said, her voice soft. "And I will always be with you."

A smile tugged at Lianna's lips as she closed her eyes. "May the Sacred Flame guide us always."


End file.
